Infectious gastroenteritis, including norovirus infection

1. What is infectious gastroenteritis?

　It is a general term for gastroenteritis caused by bacteria, such as pathogenic Escherichia coli and salmonella, as well as by viruses, such as norovirus and rotavirus. It occurs mainly from November to March.
　In particular, norovirus is highly infectious, so secondary infections through human hands often occur.

2. Symptoms of norovirus infection

　The average period from the entry of norovirus into the body to the onset of symptoms (incubation period) is 24 to 48 hours. The symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomachache, and fever. Patients can usually recover from the disease in one to three days, but even after symptoms have disappeared, the virus is excreted in the stool (about a week to a month after infection), so they have to continue thorough hand washing.
　There is no specific cure for infectious gastroenteritis caused by norovirus. Symptoms last for a relatively short period of time, but hydration and rest are important to prevent dehydration.

3. Tips to prevent infection

(1) The most effective preventive measure is hand washing. Be sure to wash your hands with running water and soap after using the toilet and before cooking and meals.
(2) Heat food sufficiently. Thoroughly wash foods (vegetables, fruits, etc.) that you eat raw (without heating).
(3) Thoroughly wash and disinfect cooking utensils.
(4) Confirm if the person who cooks is in good health. If you have diarrhea, vomiting, or other symptoms, avoid touching food directly.
(5) When handling feces or vomitus, wear disposable gloves, masks, gowns, etc. to prevent infection.

4. Other information

CDC website on norovirus　https://www.cdc.gov /norovirus /index.html